Evidence of religious conversion at a death penalty sentencinghearing

Hamilton02 at aol.com Hamilton02 at aol.com
Fri Nov 12 08:10:18 PST 2004


But would the conversion to the World Church of the Creator (white 
supremacist religion in prison and on the web) also count?  I think not, which means the 
courts cannot say that conversion to religion per se indicates good behavior. 
 They need to stick to the objective facts of good behavior.  The appeal to 
Christianity is an attempt to bring into the case mom and apple pie, but it 
can't be a legitimate criterion, under the rule against sect preferences in both 
Religion Clauses.
Marci

I assume that the point is not that Christianity has special status, but
that the conversion to a system of religious belief is (or so a jury might
find) indicative of a likelihood of redemption (in a secular sense) and htat
the person need not be executed to protect society.
I would imagine that the same would be true if a convict showed devotion to
some secular equivalent. Under the court's cap[ital punishment rules ,post
arrest conduct in jail-even after conviction and on retrial-- is relevant as
a mitigating factor. 
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